Melbourne Demons forward Brody Mihocek has revealed the terrifying extent of his injury, admitting he feared he would be permanently unable to walk after fracturing two vertebrae in his neck. The 33-year-old sustained the injury during a King's Birthday clash with Collingwood, involving former teammate Billy Frampton.
Mihocek described hearing a "massive crack" as he hit the ground, immediately losing sensation in most of his body. "Your thoughts go to, 'I'm going to not be able to walk for the rest of my life,'" Mihocek stated in an interview. He recounted playing out scenarios in his head about the potential impact on his life and family.
The feeling began to return gradually, starting in his hips and then moving to his legs and arms, which provided significant relief despite the severity of the damage. "It was pretty scary, the initial couple of minutes, but I knew I had something pretty bad," he said.
Mihocek was ruled out for the remainder of the AFL season and faces a lengthy recovery period. The incident occurred as he was bent over, with his head driven into the turf during the tackle by Frampton. He is pictured in the moments after the impact where he suffered the injury.
Despite the frightening ordeal, Mihocek expressed gratitude that feeling returned, acknowledging the immediate calmness of those around him and his own efforts to remain composed. He is pictured with his partner, Polly, and in the seconds after the tackle that led to his injury.